Drum Roll Please......

The new home of my pretty patterned chair..underneath the DIY project of a few weeks ago.

The new home of my pretty new striped chair.

Nice silvery chair leg bottoms...after a bit of sanding with Glass Sandpaper

Ahhh...what a cute couple they make!

So I know you are dying to know what the verdict is:

• Chairs- originally $30 for the both of them..the guy at the market told me in his gruff Eastern European accent, after he saw Rodney spying them.." I give you both $5!" Uh, excuse me? Are you serious? "Yes, $5 for both". SOLD! From $30 to $5..not bad.
• Fabric-thank you Ikea. $15 for enough fabric for both chairs
• Paint-Nippon + Bunnings = approx $8 worth used
• Trimming-$8 at Spotlight

GRAND TOTAL FOR BOTH CHAIRS: $36!!

What's that you say? I'm awesome? Oh yes, thank you! Not bad for a couple unique chairs that you won't be able to find in any shop...plus, it allowed my wonderful husband and I some quality time!

So now it's up to you to try and beat that...2 DIY chairs for under $50. Consider Operation Tush Re-Cush a success!

Operation Tush Re-Cush *UPDATE*

Rodney hard at work pulling apart 35 year old glue..God bless him!

Is the bottom of the chair legs "gold-esque"? Or are they just old; stained "silver-esque"?

Oh what a state these brownish/greenish vinyl covers are in..I'm sure at one point or another members from the Brady and/or Partridge families sat in these chairs.

So you all will remember that approximately 2 weeks ago, I started "Operation Tush Re-Cush". The ultimate goal was to pluck these chairs from their death row sentence and to bring them back to life...all on a meager budget of $50 or less. {That's AUD$50, NOT US$50..which means I have alot less to work with...} "Imposible!" {spoken w/ a French accent} you say...to which I respond "Non, n'est pas imposible!" I have managed to win the battle of Operation Tush Re-cush for a mere....

Lisa Williams

Last night, a friend of mine and I, went to see Lisa Williams at the Arts Centre. It was the Melbourne stop of her world tour: Messages From the Other Side. 1 word: PHENOMENAL! It was excellent.

I've always had a belief in mediumship; clairavoyance; and communication with "the other side". My mom tells me that when I was younger I would see things; smell things; and hear things, that other people couldn't. She often tells me about how I would sit by myself and talk to "someone" sitting next to me...someone that she couldn't see. That has carried over to my adult life and oftentimes I can sense that those that I've loved and lost, are only just right there next to me.

So, seeing Lisa Williams last night, was 1) right up my alley, but also 2) was a reminder to me that the life that we live right now, today; tomorrow; and the day after tomorrow, is not the only "life" that exists. I want to go out and explore it; learn more about it; and really focus on fine tuning the skills that might already exist in me. I have my crystals and pendulums for a reason. So I'm determined to read the books, that have been collecting dust on my shelf; practice; and, see what happens. If it all goes well, then I'll be able to communicate. Watch this space...

Downtown Chic

When I grow up, I want the living and dining areas of my house to look just like this! Oh, and I want it to be in either the SOMA or Nob Hill areas of San Francisco..{or Cole Valley, or Presidio, or Marin, or Upper Haight, or Lower Haight..etc, you get the picture} okay?

Photo by Luc Roymans Book Review — Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home: From Wreck to Ravishing by Leslie Judson in Design Inspiration HGTV.com

A Summer Wedding

Yes, I know, it's going into fall in America, but here in Australia, we are pushing into what promises to be another sweltering summer! So shouldn't our hot Australian sun reflect in the brilliance that is these hot; vibrant; summer colours?

{Just make sure if you're in Australia and you're planning a summer wedding..to maybe put the dining table *indoors*.}

Thanks again to Abbey Larson & Style Me Pretty for these photos. You can view the full post here, www.stylemepretty.com

A Vintage Inspired Wedding

I love how this couple used old antique items to convey their personality..from the old family photos displayed on the antique trunk..to the turquoise car and genuine typewriter! Each antique item played a bit part in the overall story of this couple's beautiful day.

Splendid! I love this wedding. Thank you to Abby Larson "Style Me Pretty" for these photos. Please visit their website for the full post and the rest of the pictures. www.stylemepretty.com

Japanese Tea Garden

These are just a few of the kazillion photos that I took while on one of my trips back to San Francisco. These are from the Japanese Tea Garden, which is in Golden Gate Park. When at the Garden, you can never tell that a big, bustling city lies only a few minutes walk away.

Last weeks DIY project

Last weekend, I decided that I wanted to do a quick and easy DIY project. I have tons of pieces of paper lying around with ideas, but had no place to post them for easy reference. And I didn't want your average, boring, run-of-the-mill corkboard. So off to Bunnings {Home Depot for all you Americans} and Ikea Rodney and I went.

We purchased some chair railing for about $10/3 metres, a pot of bright green sample paint for $4, a 6 pack of cork tiles for $13, and the material was purchased at Ikea...$9.99/metre. We came home where Rodney swiftly cut the wood to make a frame. It took a couple of days to get the frame together, when you count drying time for paint and wood glue. In the meantime, we had a spare piece of wood that we used to adhere the 6 cork tiles to, which gave me my corkboard. Once the glue had set on the tiles, I covered the whole thing w/ the Ikea fabric and attached it to the back of the board w/ a staple gun. Then we just attached the board to the frame with some nifty little corner attachment thingy-ma-bobbers {which is the technical term, by the way}, and voilà! A corkboard that is both unique AND functional! **Now, if only I could find all those scraps of paper w/ ideas** And all that for only $33! {Well, actually not even that much because I have wood and fabric left over...maybe for another project?}

Operation Tush Re-Cush

This is the "Before" version of what, I assure you, will be an "After" version. {Nothing that looks like this should be out in society.} It's my newest DIY project, and I'm naming it: *drum roll please* Operation Tush Re-Cush. My biggest challenge is, not only to make these chairs fit for society, but, to do it on a budget of less than $50 for BOTH chairs. Is it possible to bring chairs back to life, from what would've been certain death, for less than the cost of a bottle of good Vodka? We shall see. Stayed tuned...

Anna Rose {continued}

Just a bit more of the genius that IS Anna Rose Photograhpy... *sigh*

Anna Rose Photography, Perth Australia

Whether you are a bride looking for a wedding photographer; a couple wanting engagement phots; or just need a photographer in general for portraits; kids; etc, you absolutely can not go wrong with Anna Rose Photography.

Based in Perth, Jennifer is a master in capturing not only the bride; couple; family, or kids, but a master in capturing the love, the mood, the feelings, and the emotions of the people she is photgraphing. Her photos transcend so much further beyond just the environment of the photo set. Much like capturing an image on film, Jennifer is a pro at capturing the love and emotion of a family or of a couple. I simply can not say enough good things about her photography. There just aren't enough words in the English language...stunning; remarkable; memorable; thought provoking; emotive; beautiful; timeless; elegant; flirty; fun...the list is infinite.

Long story short, if you are looking for a photographer, and you are based in Perth, or Australia wide, you can not go past Jennifer and Anna Rose Photography.

** Thank you Jennifer for allowing me to share these photos on my blog. I simply can't scream it from the mountaintops loud enough...you are awesome! **

A chocolate brown; pink; and green wedding

The above images can be found on www.favorideas.com

Visit us at ThingsFestive.com

When Rodney and I were planning our wedding, I decided on a Chocolate brown, light pink, and apple green colour palette. I couldn't decide whether or not to use the pink or green w/ the brown, so I decided on both. Hey, it was my wedding day. A girl can have what she wants on that day can't she?

“Decorating with your wedding pictures”

So un-orthodox, but so un-believably chic! Thank you to "The Unbride" Blog for posting this great idea.

My sweet dreams are made of these...

Embossed luxury papers and the smooth velvety textures of a handsome flocked paper..these are what my dreams are made of...

adelante austin’s curb service

Is it wrong that I want to live in this mobile boutique? Adelante Austin's revamped; renovated; rejigged; and remarkable 1976 Airstream is perfect for taking your boutique to your clients, rather than your clients coming to your boutique. *why didn't I think of that?*

Spring has sprung!

Dress by J. Crew, additional photos by Lisa Lefkowitz

DIY

As far as I'm concerned, there is no better way to recycle; reuse; and renew than with a DIY project. Going to the old run down Laverton Market searching through the piles of junk, literally, is so fun {and dirty}...especially when I can find just the perfect cracked; scratched; poorly taken care of photo frame to bring it home, give it a high gloss paint job; add fabric covered cork and voila, a DIY cork board to hang photos; tickets; keepsakes; business cards; anything really.

So today, on this warm and extremely windy Melbourne day, I think I'm going to do a DIY project. Maybe paint my chest of drawers in my "studio" an aqua blue and paint little flourishes on the handles..or if I go to the market I might look for an old run down chair, dining or otherwise, so I can recover it; paint it; whatever..I'm thinking, zebra stripe cushion and a high gloss pink or aqua paint..hmmmm...so many ideas, so few weekends. Be sure to check back because I WILL have photos...I can't wait! :)

My DIY Wedding Day: Invitations & stationary

3 words about this DIY wedding "guest book" option... {Love Love Love} Period. Thank you "My DIY Wedding Day", for this great pic!

My DIY Wedding Day: invitations & stationery

My DIY Wedding Day: invitations & stationery
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These rustic inspired DIY wedding day ideas are so simple, but so brilliant! Makes me wonder why didn't I think of that?

Silk boxes and recycled paper..what a combo!

So I’m adding my new, not so new, additions to the Paper family. For the couture loving; texture savvy; chic; oh so stylish bride, I offer 100% Italian Dupioni Silk invitation boxes..delicately crafted to preserve the quality of the silk so you are guaranteed to have a box that will not only hold your invitation, but will be a treasured keepsake for your most special possessions, for years to come. And for the bride who is a bit more environmentally aware...who’d rather Save the Rainforests, than have a 4 Wheel Drive..this is for you. Our new collection of guests books just waiting for your special occasion. The original paper was, of course 100% recycled. Then, it was recycled again by yours truly to make these lovely and totally unique guests books. You tell me the size, the number of pages, and your preferred enclosure, and, as they say, the rest is history!